Thorn Birds

Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: I read this book a couple of years ago and have read it twice since. So yes, I think it's pretty good. I don't agree that it's like a soap opera...because I've read other really bad books that are reminiscence of just BAD SOAP opera episodes. The story is of course a love story. It's very captivating. It certainly kept me up late at nite reading it.

Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest love stories ever
Review: From the second I picked up The Thorn Birds I could not put it down. It is truly one of the greatest love stories ever written. I have read it many times since, and it remains one of my all time favorites. Every time I finish I'm sad to finish.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, up to a point
Review: The novel starts out fascinating, and I could hardly put it down as I was drawn into the Cleary family's life. I felt it really lost steam in the last third of the book as Justine was not a strong or interesting enough character to carry the story. The author also includes a grossly stereotypical and inaccurate portrait of a lesbian couple later on in the book. She sure lost credibility in my eyes for that.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent depiction of rural Australia, but so-so melodrama
Review: It looks like I am the first reader to not find this book a 5-star page-turner. Since I like reading about rural and frontier life, I very much enjoyed the early part of the book which richly describes the Cleary's lives (both their emotional lives and their day-to-day trials) in New Zealand and their first years in Australia. But the plot got less and less credible after the demise of Mary Carson and the departure of Ralph from the scene, and at least for me, the story just deteriorated into a mediocre soap opera. Perhaps as a result of being Jewish and having grown up within a warm, ebullient and highly emotional family, it was hard for me to relate to Fee's stoic living dead manner, or see any higher, spiritual element in Meggies' love affair with Ralph. Basically this struck me as a story of 3 generations of somewhat dysfunctional women. Fee was very much a victim of her times, but once the family inherited some money Meggie at least had choices, which she never exercised. Far from inspiring, the hopeless infatuation between Ralph and Meggie had essentially hardened into a bad habit that, thanks to the emotional sterility of their everyday lives, neither one of them was motivated to break.

Rating:
Summary: Very Good Book
Review: I was just done reading this book a fes mins. ago, and I have to say that it was worth it. Im 15 years old, and I had to find a book to read for an English assignment I have--so I just picked 'Thorn Birds'. I don't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Thorn Birds
Review: There is a legend about a bird that that sing just once in its life time more sweetly than any other creature on the dace of this earth.

Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest love stories of all times!
Review: This book is one of my all time favorites. It is very rich with character,family, and tragedy but at the root of it all is the bittersweet love story of Father Ralph and Meggie. This book made me feel the emotions of the characters and I cried tears of heartbreak and joy for Meggie as she grabbed my heart as one of the most unforgettable heroines in the history of novels. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. I saw the mini-series as well and thought it was excellent. Rachel Ward and Richard Chamberlain brought these characters to life straight from the page. The Thorn Birds is everything one could want from a book.

Rating:
Summary: It was a great novel! I can read it over and over!!
Review: The book is about the struggles and happiness of a family. The family is actually realistic which is something you don't read every day. I like that the book tells the stories of the different generations so it doesn't leave you hanging all too bad. All in all, its a great book.

Rating:
Summary: a piece of jewel
Review: My favorate novel so far. Amazing descriptions of both physical entities and emotions. Smart and keen remarks about humanity that make me ponder. I first read the book 4 years ago, and I liked it so much that I got the cassettes. Especially for someone who doesn't really like to stare at the pages for too long, I enjoy listening to it very much. In short, I'm glad I read it.

Rating:
Summary: Sensational!!!
Review: I read this book as part of an assignment for my English class about Australian authors and it was great. I couldn't put it down! I was up to all hours of the night reading it! And it is really good to see that readers from the states enjoyed it to, as I thought it could be a bit too 'aussie'. I haven't seen the mini series yet, but I can't wait until I do. I would recommend book to anyone!